FUN & EASY RECIPE OF THE MONTH
Tortellini in Broth
Ingredients
PASTA
- 4 1/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
- 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 4 large eggs
- 2 to 4 tablespoons water
FILLING AND BROTH
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1/4 pound pork loin, cut into 1/4-inch cubes
- 1 leafy sprig sage
- 1 leafy sprig rosemary
- 1 bay leaf
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 1/4 pound prosciutto, coarsely chopped
- 1/4 pound mortadella, coarsely chopped
- 2 cups freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
- 1 large egg
- Pinch freshly grated nutmeg
- 7 cups homemade beef broth or capon broth
Instructions
FOR PASTA: In a large bowl, whisk together flour and salt. Mound flour mixture and form a well in the center. Add eggs and
1 tablespoon water to the well. Using a fork, gently break up yolks and slowly incorporate flour from inside rim of well. Continue until liquid is absorbed, then knead in bowl until dough forms a complete mass. Transfer to a well floured work surface and knead, adding a second tablespoon water if necessary to form an incorporated dough, for 3 to 4 minutes more. Wrap dough tightly in plastic wrap and let rest for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, make filling.
FOR FILLING: In a large skillet, melt butter over medium high heat; add pork, sage, rosemary, bay leaf and generous grinding of pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until pork is cooked through, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat, transfer pan contents to a plate and let cool to room temperature.
Remove and discard herbs and bay leaf transfer pork to the bowl of a food processor. Add prosciutto and mortadella pulse to a fine chop. Transfer to a large bowl. Add cheese, egg and nutmeg; stir to combine.
Divide pasta dough into four pieces. Cover 3 pieces with plastic wrap. Flatten dough so that it will fit through the rollers of a hand cranked pasta machine. Set rollers of pasta machine at the widest setting, then feed pasta through rollers 3 or 4 times, folding and turning pasta until it is smooth and the width of the machine. Roll pasta through machine, decreasing the setting one notch at a time do not fold or turn pasta, until pasta sheet is about 1x1 inch thick. Cut the sheets into 1by 1x2 inch squares keep dough, sheets and squares covered with a clean dish towel while rolling and cutting to avoid drying.
Place packed 1/4 teaspoon filling in center of each square. Fold into triangles, with one top point slightly further than the other. Press any air from around filling, then press to seal edges a drop of cold water can be used to help seal edges, if necessary. Fold base of triangle to create a cuff, then bring points of long side together to form a fairly tight ring. Press to seal. Keep tortellini covered with a clean dishtowel until ready to cook. The tortellini can be prepared and frozen for up to 3 months. To freeze freshly made tortellini, freeze them first on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Once frozen, transfer tortellini to well sealed, airtight plastic freezer bags and keep frozen until ready to cook. Do not defrost before cooking.
To serve bring broth to a low boil avoid a rolling boil, which may cause the pasta to open up. In batches of 15 to 20, cook tortellini in broth until tender, about 3 minutes frozen pasta may take another minute or two longer. Using a slotted spoon, transfer tortellini to serving bowls. Ladle the hot broth over tortellini and serve immediately.
This recipe was provided by LaMotta's Italian Restaurant and Pizzeria located at 15660-225 San Carlos Blvd, Fort Myers, Fl 33908. For more information please click here.
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